Block Copolymer Bale Composition for Reliable Rubber Kneading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rubber compositions using molded rubber-like block copolymers with ethylene structures and crosslinkable unsaturated groups face issues with low rigidity and abrasion resistance, particularly when kneaded with other materials, leading to stickiness and kneading failures due to differences in melting conditions and shape.
Innovation Solution
A molded bale of a rubber-like block copolymer with specific structural and molecular weight requirements, including a content of vinyl aromatic monomer units, iodine value, and block structures, which allows for easy kneading and enhances rigidity and abrasion resistance when mixed with other materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rubber-like block copolymer is molded into a bale shape with specific structure maintained, then the polymer can be used as a raw material, but it tends to stick onto device walls and is difficult to mold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the rubber-like block copolymer, specifically controlling the vinyl aromatic monomer content (9-50 mass%), iodine value (3-250), and molecular weight (80,000-1,000,000), to optimize both moldability and reduce stickiness during processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary molding of the rubber-like block copolymer into a bale shape with controlled structure before use, preventing stickiness and molding difficulties that would occur during subsequent processing by pre-establishing the optimal physical state
2Ease of operation
If a hydrogenated product of rubber-like block copolymer is kneaded with another tire material, then it can be used as a raw material, but stickiness or kneading failure is caused when kneading conditions are not precisely set
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight (80,000-1,000,000) and compositional parameters of the rubber-like block copolymer to broaden the kneading process window, making the material less sensitive to precise kneading condition control while ensuring reliable processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the rubber-like block copolymer in a pre-molded bale form with controlled structure before kneading, which facilitates easier and more reliable mixing with other tire materials compared to using pellet-shaped polymers with different melting characteristics
3Strength
If a rubber composition uses molded articles with ethylene structures and crosslinkable unsaturated groups, then mechanical strength is increased, but rigidity and abrasion resistance are low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully balances the vinyl aromatic monomer content (9-50 mass%) and ethylene structure content (3% or more) to achieve an optimal combination of mechanical strength, rigidity, and abrasion resistance, resolving the trade-off between these properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite rubber-like block copolymer structure combining vinyl aromatic monomer units (for strength and rigidity) with ethylene structures and crosslinkable unsaturated groups (for mechanical strength and abrasion resistance), achieving synergistic performance
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a molded bale of a rubber-like block copolymer, satisfying the following requirements 1 to 6: Requirement 1: a content of a vinyl aromatic monomer unit is 9% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less; Requirement 2: a proportion of a vinyl aromatic monomer block is 3% by mass or more and less than 30% by mass; Requirement 3: an iodine value is 3 to 250; Requirement 4: a proportion of an ethylene structure is 3% by mass or more; Requirement 5: a weight average molecular weight is in a range of 80,000 to 1,000,000; and Requirement 6: at least one block at a molecular end is a specific block I or block II.